High Blood Pressure Treatments

High Blood Pressure Treatments

A few short years ago high blood pressure treatments involved medications prescribed by a physician and it seemed to be the only treatment known to control hypertension.



With all of multiple side effects caused from drug therapy many people wonder if there is a better alternative. The good news is that there is!

If you have high blood pressure you should see your doctor to find out if it is secondary to an underlying disease which can cause the elevated blood pressure. If the underlying cause is treated and fixed this will correct the blood pressure.

The majority of those with high blood pressure have it because of poor lifestyle choices along with hereditary susceptibility.

Today we have learned through through lifestyle changes high blood pressure can be lowered naturally. There are four changes that need to take place at the same time. They are:

• Weight loss
• Reduce alcohol consumption
• Low sodium diet
• Increase your physical activity

Since the focus here is about the exercise benefits that is what we will be discussing. Any aerobic exercise which involves the heart and lungs to be called to action will significantly lower the blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

A study was done where 18 sedentary people with high blood pressure finished an exercise program which lasted for 4 months. During the program, they rode an exercise bike 3 days a week for 45 minutes each day. They did moderate exercise (60 to 80 percent of their predicted maximum heart rate). After the 16 week program, the average systolic blood pressure dropped 7 mm and the average diastolic pressure, 5 mm. The exercise also helped to keep their blood pressure from rising while they exercised. Their average systolic blood pressure was 19mm lower when exercising and the diastolic was 10 mm lower than before they began the program.